May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans 15:13 NIV

Oh, the mixed messages …

Jogging every day is the fountain of youth. Better not, it’ll kill you.

Eat peanut butter. Peanut butter will make you fat.

Probiotics are good for you. Probiotics are damaging to your health.

You need eight hours of sleep each night. Five or six hours of sleep each night are optimal.

The earth is round. The earth is … well, okay, it’s round. I’m sorry flat-earthers … I just couldn’t.

I know I’m not alone in my frustration as I search for truth. Seems no matter what the latest study shows, tomorrow there will be a study to refute it. I mean seriously, did you know there’s a “doctor” out there saying we should never eat yogurt?

Sometimes I want to toss my computer into the front yard and run away screaming, “This world has gone crazy!”

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It’s no secret we live in a super upside-down place. But even in the center of the chaos, isn’t it great there are a few things we know that we know?  

When our children were little, we could watch them and know what toy they would choose. James loved his books and his golf clubs. Hannah was a Barbie fanatic and would play for hours. John chose his tractors and farm animals. Abigail had twin baby dolls she named Katie and Katie. These memories make me smile.

Admit it, your heart and mind just took a little trip and you are thinking of your children and their go-to, right? What a blessing it is to be called, Mom, and to know our children well

Okay, Shelley. Get to your point, right?

This is my feeble illustration of the truth that God knows us intimately. He knows when our hearts are at peace and we have chosen to “pick up” His joy. He knows when bitterness and pride have begun to take root and we have chosen to “take up” self-priority. And, like an earthquake that begins low and slow and reaches a peak of heart-altering positive devastation, He loves us with a powerful love that calls out “Stop playing on the highway!” 

He calls us to acknowledge sin, repent, and walk in His joy. We can know that we know that we know this truth.

Acknowledge. Repent. Walk in His joy.

Acknowledge. Repent. Walk in His joy. by Shelley Pierce #parenting #family

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Acknowledging personal sin is no picnic. Acknowledging and taking responsibility is uncomfortable at best. We are a stubborn bunch.

The Holy Spirit watches over us and whispers (sometimes loudly) when our heart begins to overlook sin. Our first responsibility as parents is to be sure our relationship with Christ is one that is personal and vibrant. 

We are also called to be a beacon of truth to our children. He has given us the responsibility of flashing the caution light when our little humans behave as humans do.

Is your preschooler demanding his way? Pride makes our little human believe he deserves what he wants when he wants it. Teach him to see other people in the room as more important than himself. What? You mean I’m not the center of the universe?

Acknowledge. Repent. Walk in His joy.

Does your first grader stomp her foot and tell you no when you instruct her to share her favorite doll with her sister? Take a moment to sit with her and show her God’s way is of respect for authority and kindness toward others. What? You want me to obey when I don’t like what you are telling me to do?

Acknowledge. Repent. Walk in His joy.

Are you hearing your middle-grade son brag about his abilities on the field and how much he means to the team? Perhaps your own heart is pricked because you unwittingly placed arrogance in his heart by telling him often how proud you are of his success. Remind him every perfect gift comes from God alone and is given to point others to His glory, not our own. What? You mean I’m not the star and the team isn’t lucky to have me?

Ask God to help you be sensitive to unintentionally digging a sin-pit for him to fall into.

Acknowledge. Repent. Walk in His joy.

Parenthood is a journey full of the ebb and flow of “this I know” and “what just happened?” We move from the tyranny of the urgent to exhaustion at the end of the day.  

When I am overwhelmed between what I know and what I thought I knew, I settle myself with what is always true. God is faithful and His word is alive. 

Acknowledge. Repent. Walk in His joy.

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Tomatoes are full of anti-oxidant inflammation fighters so we should eat them! But, wait! Tomatoes are a nightshade fruit and studies show they cause inflammation. Ay-yi-yi!

Today I choose the truth.

Today I choose to walk in His joy.

Oh, and don’t worry friends. I have no intention of running … well … you know, unless a bear is chasing me to get my peanut butter.

Choosing to Walk in His Joy by Shelley Pierce #parents #parenthood #joy

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